The Prince and Princess of Wales still plan to move into Forest Lodge later this year. The property – located on the Windsor Castle estate – is still undergoing extensive renovations. William and Kate claimed that they’re paying for the renovations themselves, probably from the Duchy of Cornwall slumlord income. The move to their fifth “forever home” was bad enough, but it’s been bad PR ever since the announcement. Will and Kate had residents evicted from their cottages close to Forest Lodge. Then, even worse, taxpayers are now shelling out for a 150-acre “security zone” in the middle of Windsor Great Park. This land grab has shut down a really popular part of the park, accessible to people who pay for access. The British press is mostly trying to soften the criticism, but Will and Kate still come across as tone-deaf, arrogant and immature. Instead of choosing to live in an established royal property which already has security in place, they’re making taxpayers foot the bill just because they want their own manor estate. Well, the Guardian also published some pointed criticism over the move:
For almost two decades Tina has enjoyed early morning walks through Windsor Great Park’s ancient-oak studded open fields with the freedom to let her dog off the lead. In recent weeks, however, she has noticed disturbing changes: fencing appearing around her regular route near Cranbourne Gate, trenches being dug, hedges planted and CCTV cameras erected. Last week she saw three men carrying a “no public entry” sign. “So, I walked up to them and said: ‘Oh, are you going to close this area?’ And one guy sticks the sign behind his back, and said: ‘We’re just checking the size of the sign for somewhere else.’ Then they all clammed up.”
The next day she had her answer. Windsor Great Park announced an exclusion zone of about 60 hectares (150 acres) of previously publicly accessible land to accommodate the latest home of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children. Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroomed Grade II-listed Georgian mansion, has been chosen by the couple as their “forever home”. Not all locals are happy, especially those who regularly use the area now closed off by a 2.3-mile perimeter no-go zone.
“To the people who lose it, it’s a big loss. There are so many houses they could have chosen, why choose one where the public has to lose such a big chunk of the park for their private benefit,” said Tina, who declined to give her surname. “I am very upset. I do think it’s outrageous, the way it was done. I think it’s a selfish act.”
There is a lot of deference to the royal family in these parts. Some, indeed, believed the royal family owned the Great Park, Tina said. Today about half of the land is private and half publicly accessible. Royal links stretch back to approximately 1070 to William the Conqueror, who used the area as a hunting ground and built a residence here. While parts were briefly privatised by Oliver Cromwell to help pay for the English civil war, the area was enhanced in the 17th century during the Restoration. It remained the personal fiefdom of the monarch until George III in 1760 surrendered revenues from crown lands to parliament in exchange for the fixed annual civil list payment. The park, and Forest Lodge, is now owned by the crown estate, a public body whose revenues go to the Treasury. “Which means it belongs to you and me,” said Tina.
The Waleses are relocating from four-bedroomed Adelaide Cottage four miles away. They also have 10-bedroomed Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate, 21-roomed Apartment IA in Kensington Palace, London, and Tam-Na-Ghar cottage at Balmoral which was given to the prince by the Queen Mother.
The Guardian is the first outlet to note that part about who really owns the land. “The park, and Forest Lodge, is now owned by the crown estate, a public body whose revenues go to the Treasury. ‘Which means it belongs to you and me,’ said Tina.” So, the park is operated by the Crown Estate, for profit, and Will and Kate just grabbed 150 acres of what amounts to a quasi-public park. I just keep coming back to what an extraordinarily bad call this was by Will and Kate. Sure, a lot of royals have “country estates,” but Will and Kate are the only ones to “rent” a property and then force the crown estate to give them a 2.3 mile perimeter out of what was considered public land. And again… they could have lived IN Windsor Castle. Or their apartment in Kensington Palace. Or they could have just bought their own private estate with extensive grounds!!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
